


Love is a fire

by smaragdbird



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Age Difference, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Getting Together, M/M, Marking, Mpreg, Semi-Public Sex, Somnophilia, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:49:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28227927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaragdbird/pseuds/smaragdbird
Summary: When Stentor returns from the campaign in Megaris with a victory but without his father, Archidamus takes him under his wing.
Relationships: Stentor/Archidamus II of Sparta
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14
Collections: Mistletoe Exchange 2020





	Love is a fire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greygerbil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greygerbil/gifts).



> The Spartans could've been a little more helpful to future fic writers by writing stuff about their culture down, but they didn't so instead you get this mess that is half made up and half pulled from wikipedia, and that was originally just meant to be porn anyway.
> 
> Happy reading ^_^

Archidamos first noticed Stentor at the Gymnopaedia where he was leading the war dance in remembrance of Sparta’s defeat against Argos two hundred years ago. He had been still a paidiskoi then, but Archidamos had heard his name before, mentioned as a promising student.

That night on Taygetos had been a necessary but nasty business and Archidamos had never been able to shake the guilt completely. Nikolaos was a friend and comrade and that night had cost him both of his children and his wife. It seemed though he had chosen well with his adoptive son. 

It was only natural Archidamos would take an interest in Nikolaos’ family, but if he was honest with himself, he would’ve been interested in Stentor anyway. He was strong, well built, and had a naturally commanding air about himself.

Later, Archidamos recommended to Nikolaos that when Stentor was old enough to join the hebontes in two years’ time, he should try to be voted into the same syssitias that Archidamos was part of.

/

Seven years later, Stentor returned to the main Spartan army camp in the siege ring around Platea with the news of a victory at Megaris and the death of Nikolaos. 

“Your father was a great man”, Archidamos said once Stentor had finished his report. “He died honourably in battle as a Spartan should. And you upheld his legacy by securing Megaris for Sparta and leading your men here to fortify our defences.”

“Thank you.” 

“You held the rank of enotomarches at Megaris, did you not?”

“Yes.”

“But the men you led here numbered higher than that. It is only right that you carry a title on par with the leadership you have already displayed. I am glad to have you here, pentekonter Stentor.”

“Your trust in my skills honours me.”

“It is trust well gained and well placed”, Archidamos replied. He squeezed Stentor’s shoulder, deliberately letting his thumb brush against the bare skin of Stentor’s neck and watched his eyes flutter at the touch.

“I will do everything in my power to prove myself worthy of you and the rank you granted me.”

“I know you will.”

/

Stentor was young, an outsider on account of his birth, desperate to prove himself, and Nikolaos had died too soon for him to feel that he had earned his father’s respect. It was easy to win his attention because Stentor was starved for it.

However, Stentor was more than just a handsome young man. He had a strategic mind that made him well suited for the army and his loyalty to Sparta would put some of her kings to shame. Archidamos enjoyed spending time with him, more than he had thought he would. 

“How is the training of the Dorians going?” Archidamos asked when he and Stentor retired to his tent after the evening meal. It had become a habit for them to talk for a few hours before Stentor would leave for his own tent.

“As expected”, Stentor shrugged. “They are amateurs and more passionate than disciplined.”

“Lochagus Aristides was impressed with the advances you’ve made with them.”

“I used to train some of the younger boys when I was a paidiskoi, the Dorians are not so dissimilar.”

Archidamos appreciated Stentor’s dedication to make sure the Dorians would be able to keep the siege for as long as the spartan army was gone.

“Are you looking forward to going home for the Karneia?”

Stentor glanced down. “It will be the first time celebrating it without my father. I am happy he died a honourable death, but it will be different.”

“There is no shame in missing your father. Nikolaos was a great man and he left large steps to follow.” Archidamos leaned forward and rested his hand on Stentor’s arm. “But surely you must look forward to sleeping in a real bed.”

“I know I have the right to spend the Karneia in my father’s house, but I never spend much time there. It’ll be easier to return to the barracks.”

“You could join me as my guest”, Archidamos said. “My son is too young to return from training and like you I am not fond of coming back to an empty house.”

I am honoured but I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“Nonsense, I’d be honoured to have you as my guest for the Karneia.”

“Then I thank you for your generous offer, and accept with gratitude.”

/

As king Archidamos had ceremonial duties to fulfil, especially during the first day of the Karneia, and so he did not see Stentor until the evening. It was possibly the first time Archidamos had seen him both out of armour and at ease, surrounded by his men and a little bit drunk like all of them. The Karneia was the one time a year they were all encouraged to indulge themselves with wine, food and everything else they desired.

Archidamos’ eyes met Stentor’s and Stentor rose to his feet, saying his goodbyes for the night. One of the men seemingly tried to persuade him to stay but Stentor brushed him off.

“You did not have to leave on my account”, Archidamos said when Stentor reached his side and they started to walk.

“They’ll have more fun without their commander present”, Stentor replied. There was a slight flush to his skin, a sign that he had indulged himself a bit as well, that made him only more attractive to Archidamos.

“Unless you joined them”, Archidamos said, thinking of the man who had tried to make Stentor stay.

Stentor shook his head but didn’t elaborate.

They walked in companionable silence, their hands brushing against each other every now and then, until Archidamos held on the next time they did. He glanced at Stentor from the corner of his eye but nothing in Stentor’s demeanour changed. 

Once inside, Archidamos turned to him and in the torchlight, he could see Stentor’s face properly, eyes dark and lips slightly parted; a temptation sent by the Gods themselves. He cupped Stentor’s jaw with his free hand, thumb tracing the bottom lip before he leaned in and kissed Stentor.

He kissed like a man starved of affection and yielded easily to Archidamos’ touch. There was a clumsiness to his movements but whether they were due to the wine or inexperience, Archidamos couldn’t say and didn’t care to ask. Seven years were long enough to wait.

Their clothes were easily shed on the way to his bedroom and while there seemed to be a moment’s hesitation when Archidamos pushed him down on the bed, Stentor soon followed his lead willingly.

The oil he had used last night to bring himself off, imagining Stentor around his cock instead of his own fist, was still next to the bed. Impatient as he was, Archidamos pushed two fingers into Stentor, enjoying his gasps turning into moans when he found that spot inside of him. As Archidamos opened him up with his fingers, Stentor coated his own hand in oil and wrapped it around Archidamos’ cock. It was as good of an invitation as any that he was ready.

Stentor was hot and tight around him, even more so than Archidamos had imagined, and more beautiful, too. He was responsive to every touch and needed no more encouragement to reach his own climax than Archidamos’ hand around his cock.

Archidamos fucked him through his orgasm, revelling in watching Stentor give in to his pleasure with abandon. He lowered his head, his mouth finding the sensitive skin on Stentor’s neck and sucking hard. Underneath him, Stentor moaned and clutched his back, legs tightening around Archidamos’ waist.

If this wasn’t the culmination of years of waiting, Archidamos would’ve happily fucked him through a second climax but as it stood, he was hungry to spill himself inside Stentor. Archidamos drove into him, knowing that Stentor could take it, and came with a shout.

/

They did not talk about it the next morning although Stentor did not brush off his touch, which Archidamos took as his acceptance. He still had duties as Sparta’s king and Stentor was too responsible to not check in on his men, but the Karneia was about indulgence and as long as Stentor did not object, Archidamos saw no reason to deny himself.

Once they returned to the field camp in six days’ time, he would have to exercise restraint but not during the holidays. As he was a widower, there was no reason for him to be discreet for the sake of his wife either and once they were back in the field, keeping it a secret would be an exercise in futility. 

Archidamos hadn’t felt this enamoured with someone since his wife had died, and the memory of the man who had tried to persuade Stentor to stay with him the first night was still fresh in his mind. He would keep his arm around Stentor’s waist or shoulders or rest a hand on his thigh. He could pull him aside for a kiss or three or share a lounge with him during the feast and nip at his throat when he felt hungry for more than wine and food.

The second last night of the Karneia, he couldn’t restrain himself for long enough to make it back to the house. Stentor’s weight was warm and heavy against his side and the wine they had sacrificed to Apollo sat sweetly on his tongue. 

Stentor seemed to like the honeyed figs but would not allow himself more than one or two a night, so Archidamos picked them up instead, pushing the fruit against Stentor’s lips until he accepted, licking the honey from Archidamos’ fingers.

Archidamos’ cock was very interested and so he picked up another fig, letting the honey run down his fingers further before feeding it to Stentor. The spirit of Karneia must have finally gotten through to him because Stentor took two of Archidamos’ fingers into his mouth to clean them thoroughly with his tongue.

From across the table, Pausanias, who held his wife on his lap, grinned approvingly.

Archidamos pulled Stentor back against him so that he could feel the hard outline of his cock against his arse, and pressed his lips to a spot beneath the edge of Stentor’s jaw. Over the last days, Stentor’s throat and neck had become an impressive collection of bruises and bites that would last far longer than the Karneia, turning his skin all the colours of the rainbow from the deep purple of figs to the green of olives.

His mind snagged on that thought and spun it in a new direction. Asides from the sweets, there were also more savoury snacks on the table, including olives filled with garlic swimming in their own oil. His mouth on Stentor’s neck was sufficient distraction as he left yet another mark on him, claiming Stentor for himself for everyone to see.

Carefully picking the olive out of his dripping fingers with his teeth, Archidamos pushed his hand under the hem of Stentor’s chiton and between his cheeks. For a moment he could feel Stentor tense against him, but Archidamos leaned over him and kissed him as a distraction.

As before Stentor yielded to him beautifully, his trust more intoxicating than even the most undiluted wine. He was pliant, almost boneless against Archidamos’ side, though nothing could hide his rising cock from anyone who cared to look at him. Not that anyone would care. Pausanias was openly pleasuring his wife with his fingers and Lysander had a pretty Helot between his legs. If there was anything Spartans were used to it was nudity, especially during the Karneia.

It took a little bit of manoeuvring but finally Archidamos was able to sink his aching cock into Stentor. It was as good as a declaration to claim him openly in front of so many people, but he did not mind. Some were of the opinion that affairs started during the Karneia should only last as long as the holidays but Archidamos hadn’t waited seven years to end this after eight days. No, if Stentor was amenable, he would keep him as long as possible.

Archidamos rolled his hips, the position did not allow for much leverage and it was delicious agony. He picked up another fig, pressing his fingers along with the fruit inside Stentor’s mouth. He was hot and wet and clearly desperate not to make a noise. 

Pulling his fingers from his mouth, Archidamos instead sealed it with his own, and wrapped his hand around Stentor’s cock instead. He stroked his cock in rhythm with his own thrust, shallow as they were, and swallowed Stentor’s whimper from his honey-sweet lips.

Stentor was younger and stronger. He could’ve pulled away, he could’ve pushed them over and ridding Archidamos hard, but instead he allowed Archidamos to have this power over him. It was enough to drive a man mad.

Their kiss broke as wetness coated his fingers and Stentor came, clenching so hard around Archidamos that he could not help but surrender to his own climax. He smeared their mouths together again, wanting to fill all of his senses with Stentor.

Exhausted, Archidamos curled his arm tightly around Stentor’s waist, his cock still inside him.

That was how he woke up, in the early hours of the morning, the sky above the mountains just turning from blue to pink. Next to him, Stentor was still fast asleep, stained chiton clinging to his half-hard cock while his own was nudging its head insistently against Stentor’s hole.

A good way as any to wake him, Archidamos decided as he slid back into him.

/

The first night back in the field, Stentor seemed surprised that Archidamos asked him back to his tent, as if the eight days of Karneia had never happened. 

The longer the siege of Plataea dragged on, the more often he asked for Stentor to spend the night with him. He made sure that no one could claim that he favoured Stentor on the battle field and Stentor would have never stood for it if he had and the men knew that.

“Stentor, I see you recovered from your bout of illness.” 

Fearing an outbreak of sickness, he had been isolated from the other men and under strict observation by a physician. However neither Archidamos nor any of the men under Stentor’s command had come down with similar symptoms even as they had persisted in Stentor.

“In a manner of speaking.” 

Archidamos frowned. It was unlike Stentor to talk in circles. “What do you mean?”

“They figured out what was causing the sickness”, Stentor replied, glancing down at his feet.

“And?”

Stentor hesitated, which was cause for concern. There were illnesses that spread slowly, the white plague, growths inside the body, Archidamos had seen many people die over the years, including his wife.

“I was born a helot.”

The answer seemed unrelated to their topic of conversation and Archidamos was about to demand an answer from Stentor, when he realised what Stentor meant. 

Some men could conceive. In Athens these men were treated like women, in Sparta they had been banished to the helot class, but Lycurgus had explicitly allowed them to rise to the class of Spartiate if they showed themselves capable.

“You are carrying my child.”

“Yes.” Stentor looked surprised that Archidamos would lay claim to his child right away but Archidamos knew Stentor to be faithful like he knew the sun set in the west.

“I will write to Pausanias. He can take over the siege and we’ll return to Sparta. My son deserves to get the news that he’ll have siblings from me personally.”

“You do not have to do this.”

“I know, I want to.” Archidamos stepped closer and put his fingers underneath Stentor’s chin to tilt his head up. “If you’re thinking you tricked me somehow, you should know that I’ve been wanting to take you to my bed since I saw you lead the war dance at the Gymnopaedia.”

“That was eight years ago.”

“I know”, Archidamos raked his fingers through Stentor’s short hair affectionately. “I am sorry to take you away from the battlefield but you’ll be fighting a war no less worthy of Sparta.”

“I am sorry I did not tell you before.”

“Stentor, I was friends with Nikolaos and not unaware of your origin. You have brought nothing but honour to Sparta, surely any son born from you will do the same.”

When he saw that Stentor seemed to be at loss for words, Archidamos pulled him into his arms and held on tightly. And if Stentor cried any tears, Archidamos wouldn’t tell.


End file.
